Those buying new homes over the years have helped Manteca build a nest egg just shy of $15 million to help build community park facilities.
At the start of the fiscal year, Manteca had collected $14.9 million in park acquisition and improvement fees from the issuance of building permits for new housing.
The adopted budget projects the city will have $16.3 million in the account at the end of the current fiscal year on June 30, 2025.
And by June 30, 2026 the amount should reach $18.8 million.
The fee excludes neighbor park development that was separated into a separate account given the money is collected from residential impact fees for that specific purpose.
There are two budgeted projects that will tap into the fee in the current fiscal year. They are the $320,000 restroom replacement at Morenzone Park on Center Street west of Union Road and $250,000 for a parks and recreation master plan update and park fee study.
An additional appropriation of $1.78 million for a splash pad/water play feature at Woodward Park is being considered.
It would be wedded with $405,000 the City Council has already committed in residual federal COVID-19 funds for the splash pad.
There was also $100,000 in COVID funds set aside to go toward improvements of the existing skate park or adding skate park features adjacent to the BMX course at Spreckels Avenue and Moffat Boulevard.
The park fee account is likely to be tapped for any shortfall that is connected with a skate park project.
The city also will need to spend roughly $5 million to buy 50 acres for a new community park site on the southeast corner of Union Road and Lovelace Road.
Manteca committed to developing a community park there instead of allowing housing to be built as part of the Delicato settlement designed to cushion the winery from residential growth.
The city’s first ever parks master plan developed at a cost of $445,000 in 2019 identified the needed to secure a site for another community park.
Assuming the city does collect $18.8 million by June 30, 2025 and spends $7.3 million combined on the aforementioned projects, that would leave $11.3 million
City leadership in this year’s budget indicated staff was “actively discussing the use of the remaining projected available fund balance.”
The only publicly vetted proposal in recent years was the result of another consultant’s study that pegged the cost of an aquatic center, with multiple sports fields and a community center at $80 million.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
